Never
by Lady Awesomepants
Summary: A sweet but sad little love story between our lovely Spike and Julia.


**NEVER **

**Author's Note: The goal of this was to write a nice little romantic one-shot in seven or less minutes. Let's see how I do here. Figured I should do a Bebop thing, seeing as my name is a tribute to Spike. This is set in a time before we knew our darling dear one. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop or any of its affiliations. If I did, things would be very, VERY different. **

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- _"Loyalty to one you love is the most tedious loyalty one can have. If you're not careful, it can eat you whole and consume you. And then, then, my friend, where on earth will you be?" - **Ed Wood** _

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"Spike?"

The soft voice almost startled him as he was putting on his clothes. He probably would have been startled were he not used to things moving in the dark. After all, where else to people hide from bounty hunters than the dark?

The stuffy, closed-in bedroom made him feel like he was suffocating. He smirked a little to himself. He was still exhausted from the evening before.

"Wild night," he muttered to apparently no one but himself as he put on his undershit, struggling in the dark to find the hole his left arm was supposed to go through.

"Spike, what time is it?" the quiet voice asked again.

Spike MacDougal let out a sigh as he slid one boot onto his foot. His heels, however small they were, clicked against the hardwood floor, and so she could hear him coming towards her. She smiled a little. She hated that he wore those stupid cowboy boots, because of those stupid heels.She had laughed at him when he bought them. But since, it seemed he never took them off.

Spike sat down on the side of her bed and kissed her on her forehead. Though none of the lights were on, he somehow managed to still see her golden wavy hair spilled out across the pillow. He brushed some of her hair away from her face and smiled.

"It's early, babe," he said vaguely. "Go back to bed."

He moved to get up, but she gently caught his hand and pulled him back down. Spike blinked at her form in the dark.

"What is it?" he asked softly. "Are you OK?"

She sighed and closed her eyes. "I can't sleep," she admitted.

Spikepushed some of his hair offof his forehead. He pushed the light button on hisdigital watch.The eerie green glow it emited flashed in a second and he saw the time. "5:13 a.m.," the watch read. Spike let out a big breath and massaged one of his temples.

"C'mon, babe, I gotta do something downtown-"

"Spike," she cut him off, not sharply, but from her abrupt manner he figured it was best if he kept quiet. "Will you answer me a question?"

Spike's expression softened and he held her hand in his. "Yeah, sure," he answered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," shereassured himwithone of her close-mouthed, poutysmiles. "I just have a question."

Spike made his traditional gun hand gesture at her. "Shoot," he said with a wink. She laughed a little and brought his hand to the side of her face.

"What would you do...if I died?" she asked softly.

Spike's eyebrows furled. He blinked several times before answering. "What do you mean?" he responded, his voice showing his confusion. She sighed.

"I mean, if I died, what would you do?"

He paused and then smiled a sly little smile. "It would depend," he said.

"On what?"

"On the circumstances of your death," he said slyly. She chuckled a little and managed to sit up in bed. Spike still couldn't see her but felt her movement.

"Don't be a moron, you moron," she said.

"I'm not," Spike insisted. "It really would-"

"Spike, just answer the question. Be serious."

Spike's smile faded and he clenched her hand tighter. "If you died, what would I do?" he repeated.

"Yeah," she replied, her hair spilling over her shoulders like a golden fountain on a porceline statue.

She held her blanket around herbody and hugged her knees to her chest. Her eyes peeked out behind her kneecaps, which, he hadn't noticed until now, were extremely bony, in a childlike kind of way.

Spike though for a moment. After a long silence, he licked his lips and swallowed hard. "Die..." he answered her slowly, looking deep into her eyes.

Her eyebrows narrowed and she took him in a giant hug. "I love you, Spike," she whispered, her voice muddled by her mouth being pressed into his messy hair. He hugged her back, closing his eyes.

"I love you too," he replied. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, just hugging each other.

Spike had known forever that he loved her. But it was at this moment, this defining moment, he knew that she loved him back, and that she'd always love him. His heart did little backflips as she sighed multiple times into his hair. He stroked her silky golden locks, allowing a smile to creep across his face.

When they finally drew apart, Spike pressed his forehead against hers. "Never leave me alone, Julia," he said, a demand softened by his quiet demeanor.

And his beloved Julia touched the side of his face and a smile flickered at her lips. "Never," she agreed.

But never...is an awfully long time.

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**FIN **

_**Closing Notes**:_ **That was fun. It took me ten minutes, but it was still fun. It's my first Cowboy Bebopfic. I know it was mushy and filled with lovely fluff. But I just felt the twist at the end was necessary, to show the bittersweet romance thatSpike and Julia share in the anime.Read and review and I'll give you a jar of jelly. Flame or rave, I could care less, I just like getting the reviews.**


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